McLean County was formed late in 1830 out of Tazewell County. It was named for John McLean, United States Senator for Illinois, who died in 1830. Bloomington is the county seat of McLean County and is adjacent to Normal, Illinois, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of Bloomington-Normal.

Originally known as North Bloomington, the town was incorporated as Normal in February of 1865. The name was taken from Illinois State Normal University, a teacher-training institution located there, though the school has since been renamed Illinois State University after becoming a general four year university. Lincoln, himself, helped in drafting the legal documents that would allow the university to exist at all!

Within McLean County, Lincoln’s home away from home, were many of Lincoln’s friends, who ran the gambit of personalities. Jesse Fell, the publisher; Asahel Gridley, the cantankerous banker; and Judge David Davis, one of Lincoln’s nearest and dearest friends, all lived here and were involved with Lincoln’s life for a great many years.

Today in McLean County, Bloomington-Normal area is a vibrant community, home to 165,733 people who exemplify the values of the Midwest and our remarkable quality of life. Their location is at the junction of Interstates 55, 39, and 74 which makes getting there easy and they are just a few hours from Chicago and St. Louis.

Visitors are encouraged to experience one of any of their outstanding hotels, unique restaurants or exciting leisure attractions such as the Children's Discovery Museum, the David Davis Mansion or the McLean County Museum of History. Enjoy premier entertainment at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts, the U.S. Cellular Coliseum or Illinois State University's Braden Auditorium.

Extremely proud to be the headquarters for State Farm Insurance, Mitsubishi Motors North America, and COUNTRY Financial, their higher educational institutions include Illinois State University, Illinois Wesleyan University, Heartland Community College and Lincoln College-Normal.

By looking at the pictures below, you can get an idea of McLean County in Lincoln’s time and as it stands today. Maybe you’ll find something unexpected when you go Looking for Lincoln in Bloomington-Normal and all of McLean County!

Then

Now

Following the route of Lincoln on the Eighth Judicial Circuit is easy, to learn more about the history of the courthouse in this county, just click here!

You may also want to consider a stop by the following sites of interest!

David Davis Mansion

David Davis Mansion State Historic Site This beautiful 19th Century Mansion was once owned by Judge David Davis and his wife Sarah. Davis was a close personal and professional friend to Abraham Lincoln and was responsible, in part for Lincoln’s success in obtaining the Republican nomination. This spectacular Victorian mansion has been beautifully restored to its former splendor. The interpretation of the home, includes Lincoln history and a window into the social and political life of the years when Lincoln was in central Illinois.

Inside the Mansion, visitors will find a remarkable collection of mid-nineteenth-century decorative arts and technological conveniences, illustrating the life of a prosperous Victorian family. Outside, the garden features an unusual amount of original plant material, as well as the same design, pathways, and beds that Sarah Davis first gazed upon when the garden was created in 1872. It was a world where Mr. Lincoln moved comfortably, and the Davis Mansion is one of the best places to hear that part of the Lincoln story.

In 1960, the house was donated to the State of Illinois; today, it is operated as a state historic site by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.

The McLean County Museum of History

McLean County History Museum Housed in a magnificent old courthouse on the National Register of Historic Places, the museum tells stories of the people of McLean County including many who would have known Lincoln. A permanent exhibit, “Encounter on the Prairie,” exemplifies the theme of the museum through four galleries: People, work, politics and farming. In addition, the museum also features changing exhibits that explore subjects like the Central Illinois and the Civil War plus periodic national traveling exhibits.

This museum traces its roots back to 1892, the year the McLean County Historical Society was founded. Housed inside the old McLean County Courthouse, the Museum features permanent and rotating exhibits that explore the history of Central Illinois. The Museum also offers educational programming, library and archive resources, and sponsors many community events. Being showcased now through August 2010 is: A Turbulent Time: Perspectives of the Vietnam War. The Museum also provides a driving audio-tour highlighting Lincoln historic sites in Bloomington-Normal as part of their inclusion in the Looking for Lincoln attraction listing. This location is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Evergreen Memorial Cemetery

The Evergreen Memorial Cemetery founded in the early 1820's, is a historic cemetery nestled in the heart of Bloomington, IL. The 87 acre cemetery begins with a simple entrance, winding avenues, towering trees and an elaborate mausoleum. It is a wonderful example of preservation, culture and tradition in Central Illinois.

Also known as the Evergreen Cemetery, this cemetery is the burial site of many notable Bloomington-Normal citizens including the Stevenson family. Adlai E. Stevenson I was Vice President to Grover Cleveland and Adlai E. Stevenson II was Governor of Illinois, Ambassador to the United Nations and twice Democratic candidate for the United States Presidency. Also buried there are Adlai’s wife, Letitia Green Stevenson, who was the second National President-General of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and her sister, Julia Green Scott, the seventh National President-General of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Other historical figures buried there include David Davis, friend and mentor to Abraham Lincoln; Charles Radbourne, arguably 19th Century baseball’s greatest pitcher; and Dorothy Gage, inspiration for the main character in the Wizard of Oz and niece of author L. Frank Baum.

Address:
302 E. Miller St., Bloomington, IL 61701

Phone:
(309) 827-6950
Email: Evergreen_Cem
(at) verizon .net

Hours:
Sun - Sat : 8:00 am - 4:30 pm

Bloomington-Normal Constitution Trail

The Constitution Trail is a 24+ mile hard surfaced trail running through the Twin Cities that has been developed for walking, hiking, jogging, biking and cross country skiing, providing the community with another leisure use facility for the entire family. Trash receptacles, picnic tables, shelters, port-a-pots, and benches are available at various locations along the trail.

This multi-use trail was made possible by a joint venture with the Town of Normal and the City of Bloomington. The north-south segment of the trail follows the abandoned Illinois Central Gulf (ICG) railroad from 1850 North through Uptown Normal to just south of Oakland Ave., in Bloomington. The east-west segment begins just south of Normal Parks and Recreation Annex and continues east to the Towanda Barnes Road in Bloomington.

The Trail was officially dedicated and named "Constitution Trail" in celebration of the 200th birthday of the United States Constitution on September 17, 1987. One special feature on this rail is Camelback Bridge. The bridge is a restored historic wooden bridge that arches over the Constitution Trail in Normal, Illinois. It is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The bridge is part of Virginia Avenue, which runs from Belt Avenue to Madison Street. The bridge's main span is a wooden kingpost pony truss. The bridge features supports that are Phoenix columns, a special type of iron column that was patented by the Phoenix Iron Company in 1862. They are extremely rare to find today.

McLean County Courthouse

The site of the McLean County History Museum was home to three previous courthouses
before the one that houses the museum was built in 1900. The first courthouse at the
site was built in 1832 and no images remain today.

Second courthouse was built in 1836 by Leander Munsell, who had also designed and
built the Edgar County Courthouse, was contracted by the McLean County
Commissioners to design and build the McLean County Courthouse. He built it in
his very signature style, as noted in the image, when compared to the Edgar County
Courthouse image, for a cost of $8500. This building was demolished in 1868, in
order to create a more modern building.

The McLean County Courthouse, which replaced the third courthouse, housed the McLean
County Circuit Court from 1900-1976. The building itself was designed by William
Reeves and John M. Baillie of the Peoria firm Reeves and Bailey. The original
construction was completed in 1900 at a cost of $461,640. Shortly after its
completion, a fire destroyed many of the buildings in the square and the courthouse.
The courthouse was rebuilt in 1903, just as it appeared before, following the fire.

In the 1980s the McLean County Historical Society moved to put its museum in the Old
Courthouse. Today the museum operates out of the courthouse building as it has since 1990.